Radiant space heater

ABSTRACT

In a radiant space heater, the end of the combustion tube into which the burner flame is projected is slidably supported in a collar which projects from a base plate having a hole for the flame to pass through, and the tube at that end is lined with heat insulating material which, on lengthwise heat expansion of the tube, seats against the base plate to form a gas tight seal.

[4 1 May 20, 1975 United States Patent [1 1 Schlosser 3,195,609 7/1965 Nesbitt et al. 431/353 1 1 RADIANT SPACE HEATER Inventor: Irvin L. Schlosser, 29 E. Broad St.,

l-I'tf 1d, P 19440 a 16 a Primary Examiner-Carroll B. Dority, Jr. May 13. 1974 [22] Filed:

Appl. No.: 469,412

ABSTRACT Related US. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 372,076, June 21, 1973. Pat. No. 3,832,991

In a radiant space heater, the end of the combustion tube into which the burner flame is projected is slid- [52] U.S. 126/91 A; 248/65 1724 3/00 ably supported in a collar which projects from a base plate having a hole for the flame to pass through, and

[58] Field of Search......... 431/353; 126/91 A, 91 R;

the tube at that end is lined with heat insulating material which, on lengthwise heat expansion of the tube, seats against the base plate to form a gas tight seal.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,606,549 8/1952 126/91 A 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures RADIANT SPACE HEATER This application is a division of myapplication Ser. No. 372,076, filed on June Zl, l97-3fand now U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,991. M.

This i'nvention'relates to space heaters which have an attached fuel burner and which dissipate a major portion of the heat by radiation. The heaters direct the flame and hot combustion gases from the burner into a combustion tube which thereby becomes heated and radiates heatoutwardly. Usuallyfthe hot combustion gases pass onwardly through a series of connected tubes to extract more heat.

More particularly the invention is concerned with the combustion tube into which the burner discharges its flame, this being the tube which receives the greatest heat and which is subject to the greatest expansion and contraction endwise. The feature of the present invention is the provision of a heat resistant combustion chamber at the burner end of the tube and which serves the dual function of shielding the tube fromthe direct blast of the flame and providing a seal against the escape of combustion gases at that end of the tube.

As the combustion tube into whichthe flame is dioff, the burner end of the tube must be sealed against the escape of combustion gases when the flame is on.

The present invention provides a combustion chamber which shields the burner end of the combustion tube against direct contact with the flame and in addi tion thereto provides a seal to prevent the escape ,of combustion gases. A representative structure isillustrated in the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the parts of the heater structure at the burner end of the combustion tube into which the flame is directed, the burner being omitted,

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the axis of the assembly when the parts of FIG. 1 are put together,

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the right hand end of FIG. 2, the heat shield being omitted,

FIG. 4 is a exploded view, similar to FIG. 1, but show ing some alternative parts and arrangements,

FIG. 5 is a view of the right hand end of the combustion tube of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 show a modified combustion chamber.

The disclosure of my copending application Ser. No. 372,076 new U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,991, is hereby incorporated herein by this reference and its drawings and description should be examined for a fuller understanding of a complete heater which may include the features of this divisional application. It is to be clearly uncept my manual pressure. When the tube 20 expands be evident when it is noted that the frame members 48 and 50 are the same and that the lower combustion tube 20 is the same. The other parts illustrated in the present drawings are the same as or are similar to the corresponding parts disclosed in the above mentioned patent but for clarity of description a progressive identifying numbering will be used herein.

Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the tube 20 fits within a larger cylindrical ring or collar 10. This end of the tube can move back and forth therein when the tube expands and contracts in length during its heating and cooling; the other end of the tube is fixed against such free movement. The collar 10 has a flat base plate 11 welded or integral therewith so that the collar 10 and base 11 are cup shaped. The burner attachment bolts 12 are welded to the base plate 11 and project oppositely from the collar. The plate 11 has a central hole 13 therethrough for the flame to pass through.

The bolts 12 pass through holes 14 in a supporting plate 15 having a central hole 16 therein. This plate 15 is attached as by sheet metal screws 17 to the end vertical bar members 48 of the frame structure. This holds the cup shaped member 10-11 in fixed position; the elements 15, 10 and 11 thereby constitute a burner supporting module as well as a combustion tube supporting module. The heat shield 18 preferably is provided and it has holes therein for the bolts 17 to pass'through and this also supports the shield 18. i

The heat shield 18 has a central hole 19 and also has holes for the bolts 12 to pass through. When a burner is attached to the bolts 12, the cup shaped member 10-11, the supporting plate 15 and the heat shield 18 are all clamped together and the central holes 13,16 and 19 in them all line up.

When the tube 20 is cool or at room temperature it should be short enough so its end is spaced from the inner face of the base plate 11 as is shown by the space at 22 in FIG. 2. This space or gap should be just large enough so that when the tube 20 is hot because of the flame being projected into it, the expansion of the tube 20 will just about close this gap. The end of tube 20 should not press forcibly against the base plate 11 as this would press it or the frames out of shape or bend the tube 20 or cause other permanent distortion.

The tube lifting or burner shielding gasket 23 is made of a heat resistant substance of conventional construction and material. Its end outside face at 24 should be flush with the end of tube 20 as shown in FIG. 2. This gasket 23should forcibly fit within tube 20 so that it moves with the tube end and cannot be dislodged exi the end face 24 should snugly press against the inner face of plate 11 so that the space 22 is closed and a substantially gas tight seal is formed.

wardly flanged or disc portion 25 which is centrally apderstood, however, that the combustion chamber and its combined shielding and scaling functions is not limited to use in the modular structure of my above mentioned patent. Thus, the assembly of FIG. 2 may be incorporated in any heater structure to which it lends itself, irrespective of how the other combustion tubes are supported or the combustion gases are passed therethrough.

The incorporation of the structure herein disclosed in i the complete heater of my above mentioned patent will ertured for the combustion flame to pass through. The increased end surface provided by this apertured disk portion 25, to bear against the plate 11, serves to establish a better gasket seal when the expansion of the tube brings them into contact after closing the gap 22. This apertured disc portion 25 can lie slightly or partially beyond the end of tube 20.

The lining 23 protects the tube against the intense heat of the burner flame and to withstand this it is made of asbestos or asbestos like material. It is sold commerciallyas a corbel unit and as a pyrolite combustion chamber.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show the preferred structure in which the collar is made integral with the base 11 by a metal rolling process known in the art. If desired, collar 10 can be a separate cylinder which is attached as by welding to the base plate 11. Or, if the collar is a separate cylinder as is shown at 30 in FIG. 4 it can be welded to the supporting plate 31 which corresponds to the supporting plate 15. It is attached to the two vertical frame bars 48 at the same end of the heater by sheet metal screws 32 or bolts and nuts. This supporting plate 31, like plate 15, serves to fixedly locate the collar 30 in position at this end of the heater.

The burner attachment bolts 33 (corresponding to bolts 12) are carried by the supporting plate 31. The heat shield 34 is fastened to the frame members 48 by screws 35. This shield 34 has a hole 36 therethrough which is large enough so that the burner to be attached by bolts 33 will be clamped directly against the supporting plate 31.

The insulating and sealing gasket 37 corresponds to the gasket 23. To more firmly hold it in place at the end of the tube this tube end is formed with tabs 38 by making a L-shaped cut in the end of the tube. After the gasket 37 has been inserted in the tube 30 each tab 38 is bent inwardly of the tube as is shown in FIG. 5 so that it is imbed in the gasket (the gasket is omitted in FIG. 5). This engagement of the tab 38 in the gasket 37 serves to more firmly hold the latter in place.

FIG. 5 shows that the gasket 40 can project slightly beyond the end of the combustion tube. This figure also shows that the gasket does not need to have the internal end disk or flange shown at 25 on FIG. 2 and this is especially true if the wall of gasket 40 is relatively thick.

It is to be understood that the details of the several figures are interchangeable. For instance, the tab 38 shown in FIG. 5 may be applied to the end of tube 20 shown in FIG. 1.

What is claimed is:

1. In a space heater, the combination of a plate having an opening therethrough for the passage of a combustion flame and having a collar surrounding said opening, a combustion tube having an end slidably mounted in and supported by said collar, and heat resistant material lining the interior of said tube at said end and movable with the tube end into a gasket sealing contact with said plate on lengthwise heat expansion of said tube.

2. The space heater according to claim 1 in which said heat resistant material has an internal flange at its outside end to provide an increased end surface area to seat against said plate.

3. The space heater according to claim 1 in which said heat resistant material projects slightly beyond the adjacent end of the combustion tube.

4. The space heater according to claim 1 in which said plate carries bolts projecting oppositely from said collar for the attachment of a burner.

5. The space heater according to claim 1 in which the end of the combustion tube is formed with an inwardly turned tab to better retain the heat resistant material in place. 

1. In a space heater, the combination of a plate having an opening therethrough for the passage of a combustion flame and having a collar surrounding said opening, a combustion tube having an end slidably mounted in and supported by said collar, and heat resistant material lining the interior of said tube at said end and movable with the tube end into a gasket sealing contact with said plate on lengthwise heat expansion of said tube.
 2. The space heater according to claim 1 in which said heat resistant material has an internal flange at its outside end to provide an increased end surface area to seat against said plate.
 3. The space heater according to claim 1 in which said heat resistant material projects slightly beyond the adjacent end of the combustion tube.
 4. The space heater according to claim 1 in which said plate carries bolts projecting oppositely from said collar for the attachment of a burner.
 5. The space heater according to claim 1 in which the end of the combustion tube is formed with an inwardly turned tab to better retain the heat resistant material in place. 